The city's 'most intoxicating play'

Neil Bagadiong and Aaron Henze perform at sneak preview of the play "The Drink and I," a drinking sketch comedy based on the city's nightlife, at Cinema Bar and Grill (Credit: Rob Goebel / Metromix)

“I’m going to kick you in the d---!”

That threat is decidedly the best line from the “The Drink and I,” a new sketch comedy/drinking game/improv show based loosely on Indianpolis’ bar scene.

Matt Crawford, the show’s executive producer and writer, wants his show — running two a night every Friday and Saturday in June at the Cinema Grill, 1289 W. 86th St. — to become as big as The Blue Man Group.

“I’d like to give people something they haven’t seen before.”

The means a four-sketch comedy show set in a bar, with audience drinking games to transition between each sketch. As an interactive bonus, each time an actor says “shots” in the play, the entire audience yells the word, and does a shot or takes a drink. This, of course, isn’t required in the interest of drinking responsibly.

Indy’s the perfect place for such an effort, Crawford said.

“I thought, what do I have to lose? Indianapolis is a struggling arts city.”

Tickets are $15 online or $25 at the door. Info: www.thedrinkandi.com.


IN REVIEW
If you can get past frat-boy drinking humor, clichéd jokes and some subtle homophobia, “The Drink and I” is funny and doesn’t cost much more than a movie. The cast was best doing improv between sketches, and actresses Lisa Marie Smith and Chelsea Marie Rogers stole the show with their interpretations of drunkgirls, elderly women and lollipop-sucking Britneys.